We will be discussing the ranked classes based on how strong their control is in arena. So if you like to endlessly control your opponents, this tier list is for you!
CRITERIA ON HOW WE MADE THIS TIERLIST: We need to establish some criteria on how to rank the strength of crowd control.
- Spammable crowd control. The most important factor in ranking crowd control. having spammable crowd control is a huge and powerful tool in arena. Being able to control your opponents at any moment in the game and it has amazing offensive and defensive implications. Also gives you the option to set up kills and deny enemy attacks any time.
- Number of diminishing return categories. If a class has multiple DRs like having an incapacitate, disorient, and stun, then it is probably a strong crowd control class. These 3 DR categories are the most relevant to arena, so having two of this will rank high in the tier list.
- Duration of crowd control effects. The longest the crowd control can last in arena is 8 seconds and some crowd control spells last for as short as 1 second. So, having multiple long duration crowd controls will be important ion the tier list as well.
- The spell’s uniqueness. Some control options are unique and most classes have a stun for instance, but not every class has a knockback or disarm. So, having unique crowd control options is definitely a strength in arena.
| C-TIER | DESCRIPTION: |
| PALADINS | – having some of the fewest crowd control options. – repentance, blinding light, and hammer of justice isn’t just enough to get this class away from this tier. – hammer of justice is one of their most important crowd control being used in many of their kill setups. |
| DEMON HUNTERS | – having a limited few instant crowd control spells. – having multiple stuns can cause problems within diminishing return overlap though having more than one stun option gives you additional flexibility in arena. – has a unique crowd control option with imprison specifically with the detainment PVP talent. |
| B-TIER | DESCRIPTION: |
| DEATH KNIGHTS | – having limited crowd control options but make up for it with one of the best snares in the game and two unique abilities. – chains of ice is arguably the strongest snare in the game. – they also have a really powerful win condition involving their area of effect crowd control: blinding sleep. |
| MONKS | – having multiple instant crowd control effects and having one of the most unique spells in the game. – leg sweep is an essential part of the win condition for windwalker monks who use it for kill set ups for compositions. – paralysis is important to this class this is for getting instant crowd control on healers or quickly stopping spell casts. – they have spammable snare too. |
| WARRIORS | – storm boat gives warrior gives them flexibility tor reliably crowd control targets or off targets during set ups. – intimidating shout gives them a flexible area of effect crowd control offering both offensive and defensive support for their team. – when combines with a spammable slow, an area of effect snare, and a disarm, warriors represent an anti-melee class. |
| HUNTERS | – their hunter control toolkit is centered around two things: crowd controlling healers and limiting mobility of enemy players. – intimidation and freezing trap is an easily executable crowd control setup and has very few counter play options. – the remainder of their crowd control strengths come in the form of rooting and snaring enemy players. – they have one of the best knockbacks in the game with hi-explosive trap. |
| A-TIER | DESCRIPTION: |
| SHAMANS | – they have Hex: the only incapacitated effect that is also a cursed buff which is really strong in PVP as only a few classes are capable of removing curses. – restoration shamans have the best snare and root in the game with earthgrab totem which can be placed within 35 yards. – earth bind totem; not only that it can limit mobility, but it can also be used to stop healers from drinking even when they are not in your line of sight. – all in all having a unique control option of having a curse base incapacitate combined with the movement impairing options makes shamans an incredible control class in PVP. |
| PRIESTS | – having some of the most unique control options in the game. – mind control: has some unique outplay potential for throwing opponents off z-axis maps negating enemy cooldowns and countering ground-based crowd control. – silence: a control option which is one of the few blanket silence effects. – the ability to instantly cross crowd control by themselves is huge as only a handful of specs are able to control multiple opponents in a single global. |
| S-TIER | DESCRIPTION: |
| ROGUE | – they are based around control having three separate DR categories to chain together and cross crowd control with their team. – their stuns are the backbone of compositions like RMP whos et up kill attempts on stun DRs and the cooldown of kidney shot with the ability to lock down multiple targets during a shadow dance. – their kidney shots can last up to 7 seconds, the longest stun in the game. – they have a unique crowd control unlike any other in the game: shadowy duel. |
| DRUIDS | – the highest hybrid on this tier list. – cyclone: the most powerful cc option they have which is the best crowd control in the game and has one of the highest skill caps. – boomkin have one of the best instant crowd control options in the game with mass entanglement and solar beam which is opens up an easy win condition every minute. – they are the only spellcasters with a disarm. – most druids play guardian affinity giving them incapacitating roar which can be used to disrupt kill attempts. |
| WARLOCKS | – with their buffs in 9.0.5 they could rise in popularity due in part to their amazing control. – fear: which continues to be one of the best spammable crowd control in the game. – every warlock has access to shadow fury as a baseline stun with access to mortal coil as talents. – for countering enemy casters, warlocks also have curse of tongues as baseline which can be increased with the recently buffed amplified cursed PVP talent. – all in all these options give warlocks tremendous control in arena. |
| MAGES | – of course they have snares and roots but the ability that elevates them to the top of the control list is polymorph. – polymorph is the ultimate control spell because it has so much offensive and defensive potential and can be used together with other spells to change crowd control on enemy healers for kills or to cross crowd control enemy DPS on setups. – mages can stall out the game and stop damage on their team by polymorphing enemy DPS and once the win condition is ready, it can be shifted to the enemy healer. – when you combine everything with snares and novas, mages offer have the foundation for arguably the best crowd control class in the entire game. |
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VIDEO CHAPTERS:
0:00 – Intro 1:30 – C Tier 2:35 – B Tier 6:28 – A Tier 9:05 – S Tier 14:01 – Recap